That?s what the gang from the committee to elect Amy Hopkins Daney, a Republican, for Harford County Council, District D, are hoping. Last Sunday Ben and Liz Rigdon opened up their historic house, which was once the home of Maryland?s Women?s Hall of Famer Mary Risteau.
Now Risteau, who would be tickled that I got this information from her Web site, was born in Towson in 1890, graduated from Towson High School and taught in Baltimore County until moving to Harford County to manage a dairy farm.
The governor at the time was Albert Ritchie. He urged Mary to obtain her law degree, which she did from the University of Baltimore Law School and went on to be elected to the House of Delegates just a year after women won the vote. She later was elected to the state Senate and was the first woman to preside over both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly.
The tour of this lady-before-her-time?s home was very cool, especially when joined by Harford County?s “first lady” of the Republican Party Lois Nagle, who has been in politics for almost 35 years.
This good, old-fashioned meet-and-greet brought quite a crowd even a few elected officials and/or candidates, including the colorful Del. Joanne Parrott who pulled up in a snappy little two-seater with a large stuffed parrot as her passenger. “People in my district love your paper,” said the human Parrott.
Del. Steven Archer, and candidates for Harford County Republican Central Committee Scott Gibson and John Rigdon, accompanied by his strapping son Harrison Rigdon, were also spotted.
If this great crowd is any outcome indicator for the committee, start chilling the champagne now.
Speaking of politics
Ever heard the one about how many delegates it takes to screw in a light bulb? It?s a funny one that Howard County Del. Neil F. Quinter won?t want to hear.
Seems the delegate called into the Chip Franklin radio show, on WBAL AM 1090, that also had a panel including Clarence Mitchell IV, aka “C-4,” columnist Peter Schmuck and WBAL?s velvet-voiced Alan Walden, to dispute recent rate debate and increase numbers.
After a fair amount of bantering back-and-forth between the panelists and the delegate, host Franklin smartly asked the delegate to name all the seven dwarfs.
Of which Quinter shot back, “I bet I can name all of the seven Supreme Court Justices.” The panel lost it, chiming “Well, that?s great Delegate, but there are nine.” Leaving Del. Quinter feeling a little Dopey and Grumpy.
Supreme meeting at BWI Airport
Imagine you?re a Maryland lawyer and member of the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals getting off a flight and awaiting your luggage only to look up and see retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O?Connor. Well, that was the case for Dana Dembrow. “There I was at Southwest?s baggage claim, at BWI, shaking her hand and thanking her for her contribution to American jurisprudence.” Way to go, counselor.
WHO? WHAT? WHERE?
The Examiner needs you to be the eyes and ears of Crabtown and not just B?more. Calling on Harford, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Howard and Baltimore counties to chime in, too. If you spot a celeb, let me know at [email protected] .
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Anne Boone-Simanski is the social columnist for The Examiner and can be reached at absss@baltimoreexaminer.
